Hunk of Burning Love
by LovelyFarron
Summary: He's bad at keeping relationships. She's bad at starting them. But maybe, just maybe, they can work things out. Or not. A series of Axton/Maya short stories and drabbles.
1. Curiosity Killed the Commando

Game: Borderlands 2

Pairing: Axton/Maya

Genre: Romance/Humor

Rating: T

Hunk of Burning Love

/1/

Curiosity Killed the Commando

"You ever been worshiped before?"

Maya blinked, the sudden question pulling her out of her musings. It only took a second for the Siren to reacquaint herself with her surroundings, her keen ears detecting the faraway chants of a cult, nose wrinkling at the smell of burning piles of goo, skin freezing as the bitter cold nipped at it.

Given where they were and the mission they were on—deep in Frostburn Canyon tracking down a band of fanatics that had devoted themselves to the "Firehawk"—it wasn't wise that she had let herself get lost in thought, but she had found herself quite incapable of keeping her mind from wandering. With all that had been revealed to her during the short time she'd spent on Pandora, who could blame her?

She had been so deep in her contemplations that she had not even noticed that the Commando—Axton—had approached her.

To cover her surprise—how long had he been standing there?—she drew her lips into a thin line, putting her hands on the crate she had been using as a chair, leaning back and looking him up and down in an appraising manner meant to unsettle him.

"What?" she asked. Oh, she'd heard him despite her mind being elsewhere. She just couldn't believe that he'd be asking so invasive a question.

Axton—who was not intimidated by her in the slightest—frowned, his thick brown eyebrows nearly touching in the middle of his forehead. "Worshiped. Made into a god. Goddess. Whatever." He scratched the back of his neck. "I was just wondering if any of this stuff was a touchy subject or somethin'."

The Siren's brow furrowed. Looking behind the Commando, she took note of the other two members of their little band. Zer0 was sitting just a little ways down the hill doing just that—sitting. Kreig was…dancing, for lack of a better word. Salvador was absent, back at Sanctuary sleeping off a hangover, and Gaige was making use of Scooter's garage to patch up Deathtrap.

Satisfied that no one was around to pay attention to her and Axton's little chat, she turned her attention back to the brown haired man standing before her. "Why do you care?" As an afterthought she added, "I'm not your turret."

Axton crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the jab. "What? I can't ask a simple question?"

"You never bothered before."

"Shit, I was just curious. Bite my head off why don't you? And, in case you haven't noticed—" here he opened his arms and waved around them "—I've been a little busy tryin' to keep us all alive."

"Is it that same trying that's been bankrupting us at the New-Us?"

Axton huffed, finally a bit irritated. "One time. It was one time. 'Sides, I don't see you doin' any better." He nodded his head at her. "What, with your Siren powers 'n all, I'd have thought you'd have Jack's head by now."

Maya couldn't stop the angry flush that painted her pale cheeks red. Her lower lip trembled and it took all her might to keep from springing to her feet and spitting in his face. Instead, she took a breath, calmed herself, and raised her eyebrows in a haughty appraisal of the man. "Oh yeah? Well at least I'm actually _useful_ during combat. I heal you guys and freeze enemies in their tracks. What've _you_ got? Your friggin' girlfriend?"

"Hey!" Axton barked, a vein sticking out in his forehead. "Watch it! That's my one and only you're talkin' about!"

"Funny how only an inanimate object will put up with you."

"At least I _have_ somethin'. What do you got?"

"Is that a trick question?" Maya flicked her wrist, activating her powers.

"An intangible blue ball? That's not desperate."

"Self-projecting much?" Maya retorted.

The two glared at each for a moment before Axton threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"Bah! Forget I said anything," he said crossly, storming across the snow-buried road to plop down heavily upon a chest. Maya perked her ears, listening as he muttered curses under his breath, moaning something about not being able to live with women, but also not being able to live without them.

She raised a slender blue brow in curiosity, staring at him intently as he quietly complained. Thankfully, he did not notice her sweeping gaze.

Maya had never met a man like Axton before, that was for sure. To be honest, she'd never met anyone like _any_ of them. She'd never met a Zer0, a Salvador, a Gaige, and certainly not a Kreig. They weren't the monks, didn't have any interest in using her powers to enforce and scare the local populace. Hell, they hadn't even been shocked when she'd revealed her abilities to them.

Perhaps it was because they were all lone wolfs, because they were all used to their own unique talent sets to keep them afloat that they did not feel the need to pressure her to use her Siren powers. Sure, they were grateful when she did, but they weren't lying to her, weren't secretly using her Siren status to their advantage.

They were searching for answers, for adventure, for loot, for purpose…just like her.

She sighed.

Maybe…just _maybe_…she had been too hard on Axton, so used to people trying to use her for their own gain as she was. Maybe…just _maybe_…she didn't have to keep her walls up forever. Maybe…just _maybe_…this could be her one shot at a sort of normal life…at a normal…_friendship_…

"I'm a Siren, not a god. Goddess. Whatever," she said suddenly.

Axton's head snapped up and he stopped fiddling with his thumbs, looking at her with a combination of curiosity and caution.

Maya took in a deep breath before continuing, not quite believing what she was doing. "Not that I don't mind it when people fear me. If you're worried about me being jealous of Lilith or something…" She paused, eyes going misty as she remembered the life she had left behind. "…don't be."

"Hm."

"What?"

Axton shrugged and looked down the slope at their compatriots, ignoring her question. "Let's get a move on!" he called. "Those worshipers ain't gonna kill themselves!"

Zer0 was on his feet in an instant, Kreig meandering along after him shouting strange obscenities.

Looking back at Maya, Axton said, "I was just thinkin' that maybe you guys competed for stuff like that. Followers, worshipers, cultists. That's what I would do if I was you. Beat up the competition and take their stuff."

Maya snorted and stood up, brushing herself off, eager to end the conversation the closer Zer0 and Kreig got. It wasn't like she didn't like talking about her past, it was just that she didn't. She was with Axton—sort of—but she wasn't ready to share everything with everyone just yet. "You obviously don't know much about Sirens."

Truth be told, _she_ didn't know much about Sirens, but she was keeping that tidbit to herself.

"Never said I did."

Snorting and rolling her eyes, Maya made a move to go join Zer0 and Kreig, but before she could get farther than two steps, Axton had caught her by the arm in a firm yet gentle manner, lightly pressing his fingertips against the blue tattoos that danced across her pale skin.

She flushed—despite her best attempts not to—as he drew her in closer, his breath tickling her skin, lips mere inches from hers.

"If anything gets weird or uncomfortable, let me know. I won't let those crazies lay a finger on you."

The blue haired woman opened her mouth, closed it. Where had _that_ come from?

Without another word, Axton let her go and walked off to join the Assassin and the Psycho, leaving a very confused, hot, and bothered Siren to trail along behind.


	2. Stay off the Sidewalk

/2/

Stay off the Sidewalk

Axton clung to the turret mounted in front of him for dear life, the sights and sounds of the Three Horns flying by him far faster than he cared for. The Runner roared as its engine gave in to the demands of its driver, shifting into high gear, and that was when Axton knew that he was going to die.

Not _die -_die,of course—that state was quite difficult to achieve with the New-Us—but he was going to die and it was going to be painful, his digistructed clone coming into the world with a pounding heart, the knowledge of what had ended the previous version making him vow to never let her drive ever again.

He would have been better off with Salvador at the wheel, and he couldn't help but feel envious of the Assassin, Zer0. Sure, the Gunzerker had a penchant for speed, but the man's racing was nowhere near as bad as what she was doing. Hell, he wasn't sure she even _knew_ what she was _doing_.

Cringing as they hit yet another hugeass boulder, the Runner lurching and leaving his stomach in the ditch, he managed to pry his lips open to ask the question he should have asked before he'd let her in the driver's seat.

"Do you know how to drive?"

It was a simple question, one that could be answered by an equally simple reply—"Yes" or "No". Given everyone's ages—and dispositions when one counted Kreig—he'd assumed he'd known who could and couldn't drive; he hadn't felt the need to ask, but apparently should have.

He had known that he could drive (he'd been doing so since before he had been of legal age), Salvador definitely, Zer0 probably, and Maya? She was what? Twenty-five? Twenty-seven? Surely she must know how to handle a vehicle, right?

Wrong.

A scream nearly tore itself loose from his throat as they pulled an unexpected 360, running over a few unlucky skags that had decided to pop up. The Commando looked down at Maya; the sight of her would have been comical had the situation not been so terrifying. Her face was covered in perspiration, silver eyes hard, eyebrows bunched together, jaw locked as she gripped the wheel violently.

"Do you know how to drive?" he asked again, louder this time.

"Yes."

Axton's eyebrows shot up, eyes widening as they clipped the corner of a building, bringing them dangerously close to Salvador and Zer0's Runner. He heard Salvador shout in surprise, Zer0 letting out some smart-assed comment dressed up prettily in the form of a haiku.

"Could've fooled me."

The Siren's furrowed brow furrowed even further, transforming her face into the dictionary definition of a scowl. Axton wanted to laugh, despite the predicament he was in. This woman could give his wife—_ex_-wife—a run for her money in the Angry Looks department.

"Oh shut up. It's not like I've killed us or anything."

"_Yet_," Axton grumbled.

"What was that?" Maya demanded, glancing back at him.

Axton's face went white. "Keep your eyes on the damn road!" he hollered, halfway standing up and reaching down to grab the steering wheel. They weren't actually on the road—quite a bit out from it, really—but whatever.

"Back off!" Maya took one hand off the wheel and swatted his arms away. "I've got this!"

"Like hell you do!" Axton shouted, eyes going even wider now that she had only one hand on the wheel. "Get your hand back on there!"

"You're as bad as those friggin' monks," Maya muttered angrily, turning back around. She wrinkled her nose. "Maya, you don't need to learn how to drive, we'll cart you around! Maya, don't you think something so barbaric is below you? Maya, don't threaten to melt our skin off, we'll teach you! Maya, don't press the pedal to the floor! Maya, don't do wheelies! Maya, don't forget to use the breaks! Maya, Maya, Maya, don't, don't, don't!"

Her ire raised, she hit the thrusters, running over a particularly large skag, swinging the Runner around to face it and hit it again. The wheels of the all-terrain vehicle kicked up dirt, sending it flying, mucking up the vision of the skag pups behind them.

"Christ, I should've taken my chances with Dahl," Axton said under his breath.

"There's still time," Maya growled, bringing the Runner around to finish off the tiny beasties chasing after them. Eyeing the dusty road on the far left, she jerked the vehicle in its direction. "Hell knows I won't stop you."

Axton groaned and settled down in his seat, the danger temporarily not as dangerous, unsure which fate—death by firing squad or death by Maya's driving—was worse.

All she needed was a little practice, right? Some time on the road, experience behind the wheel, and all that slag? She couldn't possibly be this bad forever, could she?

He groaned as more red dots wandered onto the radar and Maya let out an evil cackle.

"Bring it on, bitches!"

This woman was going to be the death of him.

"I should've taken my chances with Dahl…"


	3. Gradually Falling

/3/

Gradually Falling

"So, uh, what's your story?"

Axton opened his left eye as something moved over him, blocking out the warm light of Pandora's sun. He had taken up residence on one of the benches that sat around the giant monolith in the center of Sanctuary, determined to spend a day relaxing while Zer0, Salvador, Gaige, and Kreig did some mission for Ellie out in the Dust.

"What's that?" he asked, a bit perturbed at being disturbed. He winced as the dark blob above him moved, unprepared for the brilliance of the heavenly body above. "Shit!" He hollered, squeezing his burning eye shut. "Warn me next time!"

"Warn you? Warn you for what? All I did was move."

"Exactly!" he groused, sitting up and hand covering his blinded eye. "You were blocking the sun and then you weren't." He slipped his good eye open, viciously rubbing at the tears that wanted to run down his face. He was a man, dammit. Men didn't cry.

Before him stood the Siren, Maya. He watched, brows drawing together, as she put a hand on her tattooed hip, cocking her head to the side, silently judging him in that way she did.

"What?" he asked hotly.

"You're such a baby."

"Says Miss 'Eeewww! Gross! Slag!'," Axton mocked.

Maya's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What? Slag _is_ gross."

"Well, you don't hear me complaining about it every time I get hit with the stuff."

"Um, yes I do."

The two glared at each other—Axton still covering his eye, Maya with her hand still on her hip—both silently fuming.

As he stared at the angry Siren, her cheeks flushed with the lightest of pinks, Axton wondered why it was always like this between him and her. Out of the five he was traveling with, she was the only one that could get under his skin, the only one that made his blood boil and dance in his veins.

He didn't hate her—far from it, actually; he respected her greatly—but for some reason, whenever she was around—hell, even the _thought_ of her did it to him—he found himself incapable of doing or saying anything right.

Normally, he wouldn't care. If someone was going to like him, great. If someone wasn't going to like him, great. But for some reason, this time, he _did_ care.

The fact that he cared didn't bother him so much as the fact that he couldn't figure out _why_ he cared.

Sighing heavily, he broke the tension.

"Look, I'm sorry," he apologized, throwing his hands up in surrender, his left eye finally back to normal. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to sneak up on me like that. Or blind me."

"If I had meant to blind you, you would be _blind_-blind," Maya retorted. "And just because it's your day off is no excuse for you to _slack_ off. What if I had been Jack?"

"Jack isn't allowed to break into Sanctuary on my day off," Axton said seriously. "That's a rule." Maya looked at him blankly and he raised his eyebrows in pretend shock. "What? You didn't know?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes, exasperated.

Chuckling, Axton patted the open spot next to him on the bench, Maya hesitating for a second before finally settling down next to him.

"I'm just kidding. There is no such rule."

"Really?" Maya asked sarcastically.

"Shocking, isn't it?" Axton laughed again. "But if Jack had broken in…well, the Mrs is right here." He leaned over to give his turret an affectionate pat where it sat on the ground in front of his feet. Glancing up as he did so, he gave the Siren an impish grin. "Why? Worried about me?"

"Ha! You wish!" The blue haired woman let out an unconvincing laugh, breaking eye contact. She knotted her fingers together, unknotted them. "We're really the only ones around to defend Sanctuary should Jack try something sneaky, that's all."

Axton didn't buy it. He arched an eyebrow, mouth drawn up in a smirk. "Really?"

Maya nodded, determined to make him buy it. "_Really._"

The Commando watched her closely as she swallowed hard, twisting the fabric of her pants with her hands. Straightening, he crossed his left leg over his right.

"Now, what were you asking about right before you blinded me?"

"I didn't—oh, never mind." She huffed, taking a few seconds to compose herself. "Your…story. What is it?"

Axton blinked. So he _hadn't_ been hallucinating earlier. "My story, eh?"

She nodded. "That's what I said."

"Oh boy," the Commando let out a laugh, sitting back and stretching his arms along the length of the bench. The act brought the skin of his forearm mere centimeters from Maya's bare shoulder. He anxiously swallowed the sudden lump that had formed in his throat, clearing it before asking, "What do you want to know?"

The Siren shrugged, still refusing to look at him, unaware of his sudden discomfort. "I dunno. What you got?"

Axton let out a long breath. "What I got? Well for starters, I lost my job and my wife on the same day, had a stint as a merc, got bored, heard about the Vault, wound up here. That's about it."

"Oh…" Maya let go of her pants to twine her fingers together. "That sounds…fun."

Axton snorted. "Fun. Yeah, that's one way to describe it, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair. For some reason, it was cold and clammy. Was he…nervous? No, he couldn't, be. Could he? "Why the sudden curiosity?"

"You…" Maya chewed her lip, peeking at him out of the corner of her eye. "The other day, when we were doing that mission for Lilith…"

Axton's heart skipped a beat. "When I asked you about being worshipped and stuff?"

She dipped her head, brushing aside a blue bang as it fell in her face. "Yeah. That stuff."

"What about it?" he asked, keeping his voice coolly nonchalant.

"You were just…you know."

"No, I don't know," Axton lied smoothly, hoping that Sirens didn't have some sort of sixth sense when it came to detecting lies because _oh did he know_. In fact, he could recall the scene perfectly.

Without his permission, his mind drifted back to that day spent in snow; he could see her hips swaying as she walked down the path towards Zer0 and Kreig, could hear the snow crunching beneath her feet, the delightful scents of burning goo and melting flesh filling his nose.

He remembered reaching out for her, remembered the feel of her smooth skin sliding beneath his rough fingers as he pulled her close, determined to let her know that she was not alone.

"_If anything gets weird or uncomfortable, let me know. I won't let those crazies lay a finger on you."_

_Maya's mouth flopped open gracelessly before she snapped it shut it again, flustered. Her face was slowly blushing a brilliant crimson, her flesh heating up and warming his cold fingers where they were locked onto her._

_Axton found himself drawn in, losing himself in the moment._

_The scenery was far from romantic, the situation even farther. And yet…_

Axton sighed, shaking his head.

What had transpired between the two of them that day still stymied him—what had made him reach out? What had made him give a damn beyond what was normally acceptable for a comrade? Why did she blush? What had he turned away smiling like an idiot?

His heart sped up, breath coming in short, quick bursts. What had been wrong with him? What _was_ wrong with him? He'd only every felt this way when—

Axton's eyes widened.

—_no_. It _couldn't_ be. Not _that_.

"Oh…well…never mind."

Maya's voice snapped him out of his musings, his heart doing a funny thing inside his chest as his ears registered the defeat in her tone, his eyes taking in the way her posture had slumped, disappointment radiating off of her slender form.

_Dammit._

Silence reigned supreme for a few minutes as the Commando figured out his next move, trying to quell the rush of feelings that were making his body and mind do and think things that they weren't supposed to.

"Tell you what," he said abruptly, standing up. Maya watched him closely, right eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Take my ECHO log. It contains the last interaction between me and my wi—my _ex_-wife." He fished the small device out of his pocket and tossed it to her.

Maya blinked and caught it. "I didn't mean for you to—"

He held up a hand.

"I know. But it's only fair, seeing as how I did ask you some pretty personal questions the other day." He grunted. "Sarah always did say I was an insensitive oaf." He shook his head, lips drawn in a grim line. "How was I supposed to know she didn't like diamonds? Don't all women?"

"Oh…well…um…thanks," Maya said, turning the ECHO log over in her hands.

"You're welcome," he said, stooping to retrieve his turret. Putting it back in its rightful place on his back, his hiked his thumb in the direction of Moxxi's bar. "I'm gonna wander around and see if that Michael guy is back in town. I could use a free new gun. Later."

Maya lifted a hand to give him a half-hearted wave, still trying to decide how she felt about being handed something so personal of Axton's. "Yeah…later."

Quickly walking off, Axton waited until he was safely around the next corner before taking a deep steadying breath, holding in the mad laugh that wanted to his escape his lips. Leaning against the wall of some building, he slid down, not minding the grit and grime of the ground beneath.

Why had he gone and given her that? Fair-schmare; who cared about fair? This was Pandora for Christ's sake! Nobody was fair on Pandora!

Would she just toss it when she was done? Aside from the dog tags and ring, it was all he had left of his wi—his _ex_-wife, the only recording he had of her voice.

He ran a hand over his face, a sad, demented chortle finding its way out; he felt like he was losing his mind.

Out of the five he was traveling with, she was the only one that could get under his skin, the only one that made his blood boil and dance in his veins. And yet, he'd be damned if it ever stopped.

"What is _wrong_ with me?"

In the background he heard, _"Axton, the rest of the battalion ships out to Themis tomorrow…"_

A/N: Not sure how I feel about this one. I might chuck it in the future, but for now, it stays. One of my goals in writing this chapter was to show the difference between Axton and Maya; I feel like Axton would be more open about his past, whereas Maya is guarded. It also shows her gradually opening and taking an interest in Axton.


	4. The Game

/4/

The Game

"Oh, Sugar. You've got it bad."

Axton blinked bleary eyes and looked up at Moxxi, confused. Her lips were curled in that knowing smiles of hers, the gleam in her eyes making him feel like he was a skag and she the hunter. Or maybe that was the alcohol talking. He wasn't sure.

Suppressing a burp, left eyebrow raised, he managed to get out, "What?"

Moxxi's grin widened as she leaned forward, exposing her ample bosom. To his credit, Axton didn't so much as flinch.

"You've got some restraint, Sugar," Moxxi laughed. "Greater men than you have thrown themselves at my feet. Saving yourself for someone special?"

Axton hiccupped, wincing at the acrid taste that filled his mouth. Pandora alcohol sure was something else. "What the _hell_ are you talking about?" His eyebrows drew together as his sloshed brain processed her words. "And what do you mean by '_greater_'?"

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot. You were married. So I guess you're not saving yourself. You've been there, done that." Moxxi's smile turned wicked as she tilted her head to the right, studying Axton. "But even if you hadn't been married, I can't imagine a handsome and virile man such as yourself not partaking in the sweet pleasures of—"

"Moxxi," he said darkly, cutting her off. "I have _no_ idea what you are talking about."

"But don't you? You've been avoiding her ever since she strolled in."

Axton nearly swallowed his tongue, his hands clenching and unclenching as alarm shot through him.

Was he _that_ obvious?

"Oh, Sugar," Moxxi purred. "It _is _that obvious."

Axton scowled, earning himself a laugh from the busty bartender.

"At least, it is to me. Calm down, Sugar. Your secret is safe."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Axton insisted grouchily.

Rolling her eyes, Moxxi finally broke eye contact with the Commando. A dreamy sigh left her lips as her attention drifted elsewhere. "I completely understand why wouldn't want to be caught admiring her in public. She is a real knockout, isn't she? Really gets the blood rushing and dirty thoughts rolling..."

Despite his best efforts not to, Axton found himself following Moxxi's gaze, neck craning just the slightest, enabling him to get a good look at Maya. She was off in Sir Hammerlock's corner, trying to decide which gun she wanted, what he could only describe as an adorable frown crossing her fair face.

Axton remembered when she had trudged into the noisy bar with Zer0, Gaige, and Kreig, all covered in the goo of some recently deceased beast. Both Maya and Gaige had swearing up and down that they were never going on another one of Sir Hammerlock's quests again, their colorful and creative language—even by Pandora's standards—earning them surprised and reverent looks from the bar patrons.

The self-proclaimed gentleman had apologized profusely and quickly unloaded his stash, allowing the Vault Hunters to pick their reward. Kreig and Gaige had decided quickly, Kreig not really caring what he got as long as it made "holes in the flesh", Gaige wanting to change her goo-covered ensemble as soon as possible.

Zer0 had been the next to decide and go on his merry way (he had gone with the sniper rifle, of course), and now just Maya remained.

The Commando couldn't help but smile as he noted how Sir Hammerlock's ramrod posture had slumped dramatically, his keen eye dull, countenance detached as Maya debated between the assault rifle and the sniper rifle. Despite still being a sticky, bloody mess, she was sure taking her sweet time.

It was one of the things Axton found fascinating about Maya actually, how she could be so quick and decisive during battle, instantly knowing what to do when, but so careful and thoughtful outside of it. Even when ordering a drink or food she took her time. Hell, Crazy Earl had all but threatened to stop speaking to her if she looked at his wares for more than five seconds.

How long Maya had been standing there, weighing the pros and cons of the two weapons, Axton didn't know. What he did know, however, was that he had been relatively sober at the time when she had started. Now he was not.

Without his permission, Axton's eyes traced Maya's figure, taking note of the curve of her waist, the width of her hips, the roundness of her—

"I see what yer doin'," he grumbled, glaring at Moxxi. "_Don't._"

"Why not, Sugar?" Moxxi pouted, turning her back to him. She drew her plump lips together, eyes pleading. "You and Maya would make a hot couple. So hot, I'm afraid I'd have to take off all my clothes."

Axton sighed, gripping the cool glass mug firmly between his thick, calloused hands. "I'm too old to try again. I had my chance. I blew it. Besides…" He risked one more glance at the Siren, fighting back another smile as she finally decided on the sniper rifle, Sir Hammerlock nearly sinking to the ground in relief. "…she hates me."

"Sugar, too old to try again? Do you know who you're talking to? And hate you? Maya? Oh, no, no, no, Sugar." Moxxi threw back her head and laughed, earning herself another glare from the Commando. "She doesn't _hate_ you," the buxom woman said when she had come down off her high. "She's _defensive_."

He stiffened as Maya stomped by, too distracted by monster guts to notice him. Underneath the rank smell of the creature was her scent, a scent that reminded him of—he stopped his train of thought and swallowed thickly. "What's the difference?"

"The difference is that she doesn't hate you." Moxxi tilted her head to the side, studying Axton with a practiced eye. "And I think you know that."

"Do I?" Axton asked nonchalantly, pretending to not know as he took another drink. He set the mug down once he had drained, letting a shiver snake its way down his spine as he shook his head.

Moxxi narrowed her eyes, giving him a disappointing frown. "If she hated you, she wouldn't be thinking of giving you her personal ECHO log."

"Is she now?" the Commando asked, pretending to be disinterested. "Why would she do that?"

The bartender sighed and rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. "We both know she is. She may be hard to read, but she's not impossible, and neither one of us is blind."

Axton couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"_If I had meant to blind you, you would be blind-blind."_

The brunette looked at him curiously but did not ask what had made him laugh, instead continuing on with her original thought. "I've been watching you, Axton," she said, using his name for the first time. "You're a clod in the way most men are—"

"Gee, thanks."

"Let me _finish_," she said hotly. She drew back and stood to her full height, hands on her hips, giving him a harsh look that told him he'd best stay quiet. "What I was saying is that you're a clod in the way most men are, _but_ you're also sensitive when it counts the most."

"Tell that to my ex-wife," he grumbled. He waved his cup. "Another, please."

"Not until you _listen_ to me."

Axton groaned and rubbed his eyes. What had he done to deserve this? "Fine. Let's just get this over with quick, ok?"

"It'll be over when I say it's over, Sugar," Moxxi said, raising a slender eyebrow. "I'm trying to help you. Now shut up and listen."

Axton let out a sour breath. He was in for it now. When would he learn to keep his mouth shut?

"Maya, as I said, is defensive," Moxxi continued. "She's the type of person that won't let people in unless she feels she has a good reason to, unless she knows that she can trust them."

A man sitting at the opposite end of the counter waved his empty glass in the air, catching Moxxi's attention. She moved to get it from him, her eyes still on Axton to make sure he wasn't drifting off.

_Lucky bastard_, Axton thought enviously as she refilled the man's mug.

"Of course, I don't know the exact circumstances surrounding her upbringing, but I can guess," Moxxi said as she filled the man's drink. "She was sheltered—probably due to her Siren powers—and had someone very close to her betray her, an act that probably led to his or her death."

Axton chuffed. "You think?"

"I _know_." Moxxi strode over to the man and gave him his drink, turning around sharply on her heel before sauntering back to Axton. "She's a tough cookie, I'll give her that, but she's also incredibly fragile. She's…_new_…to a lot of things. Inexperienced. Fresh. A…_virgin_."

Axton gave the woman a flat look. Of course she had to stick in something about sex.

"All that being said…Once you're in, you're in for life. And you're already on your way to being in." Moxxi flashed him a sly smile. "That ECHO log move of yours was smooth."

Axton blinked, jerking upright, bewildered. "How did…?"

"You told me."

"I did?"

Moxxi nodded. "Alcohol is a marvelous thing, is it not?"

Axton swallowed hard, cheeks burning. Frowning, he glanced down at his empty glass. How many drinks had he had? Enough to get him talking, obviously.

Sighing, his shoulders fell and he slumped forward. Moxxi was right. He knew that Maya didn't hate him. He knew that she was just cautious around people, hesitant to open up. Whether or not Moxxi's assessment of the Siren's past was true, he didn't know. He wanted to.

He had seen Maya eyeing him on more than one occasion, turning her ECHO log over and over in her hands, the debate of whether or not to give it to him clearly raging in her mind. Out of their four companions, only Zer0 seemed to have notice this, and more than once he had thrown a question mark—literally—Axton's way.

In truth, there was a part of Axton that wanted to know more about the tattooed woman, to discover why she was the way she was. He wanted to know why the simplest of things amused her, why basic pleasures and freedoms seemed so new to her. He wanted to know why she had the patience of a monk, why she possessed the fierceness of a warrior.

But he _couldn't_ know.

Axton may have been an idiot in many ways, but he knew without a doubt that if he let himself get any closer to her, if she opened up to him…

As Moxxi had said, once in, he would be in for life.

He didn't know if he could handle that sort of commitment again. He hadn't been able to before, so why would he be able to now?

"No," he said aloud, shaking his head. "I'm_ not..._"

Moxxi raised an eyebrow. "Not _what_, Sugar?"

"I'm not…I'm in love with Maya."

Moxxi's wicked smile returned. "Who said anything about love, Sugar?"

Axton could have slapped himself.

"I was just talking about getting close to her for sex." She titled her head, the gleam in her eyes back. "Could it be that our ruggedly handsome Commando is in the game for keeps?"

"I…" Axton shook his head, standing up and slapping down what he hoped was enough money to cover his tab. "I have to go." He shot Moxxi a dark look. "And I'm not in any game."

"Keep telling yourself that, Sugar," Moxxi laughed as she collected his money. "Keep telling yourself that."


End file.
